Rodin's next act

By Sandy Smith

A persistent rumor circulating around campus has it that President Judith Rodin will run for office after she steps down next June.

Well, why not? Several of the people who responded to our question “What should Judith Rodin do after she steps down as president?” at a recent lunch hour thought that would be just the thing for her to do once she has more time on her hands. Several others, though, thought she should use that time to just kick back and relax.

Bill Clark Senior Systems Analyst,Information Systems and Computing (ISC)“I think she ought to get involved in politics. She’s very visible and she has a lot of persuasive skills. I think she’d be advantageous to Philadelphia and the nation.”

Juanita Sharper Accountant, Facilities andReal Estate Services “I think she should [spend] at least six months on a beach, with her feet up, and enjoy margaritas. That’s what I would do, and I’m not even president.”

Peggy Yetter Systems Programmer, ISCNetworking and Telecommunications “I think she should take a break and enjoy life for a while, but what I think she is going to do is probably go into politics.”

George Kelley Research Specialist, Radiation Oncology “She should start a foundation or something. How about a foundation for helping students pay for college?”

Lloyd Frank Stack Attendant, Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center “Go back to civilian life. I don’t see how her role as president prepares her in any way, shape or form for Pennsylvania politics. She needs to rise through the ranks like everyone else. She had a good run, she did what she needed to do—basta!”

Ronald Day Head, Reference Section, Biddle Law Library “Be president of a big corporation or a foundation like the Ford Foundation. The problem with politics is Hillary Rodham Clinton is already out there.”

Maryellen Kaminsky Administrator, Music Department “I thought her idea of doing fundraising as chancellor was good, and even though she’s not being called chancellor, I still think it’s a good idea.”

Joni Moser Mother of Alex (C’07) “I think she should run for governor of California.”

Penn Current Express

Quoted Recently

“It’s a very confusing time. … This legislation has happened before we have a medical consensus about what to tell women.”

— Emily Conant, a professor of radiology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, on laws in 21 states that require doctors to tell women they have dense breast tissue, which can raise their risk for cancer and hide abnormalities. New breast-imaging technologies promise to detect more cancers in women, but can bring more false alarms as well. (The Wall Street Journal, Feb. 23, 2015)